The Great Talent Hunt: Building Your Qualified Technician Workforce

[ Software for the Workforce on the Move ]

The Great Talent Hunt: Building Your Qualified Technician Workforce


What You’ll Find Inside

I. The demand for qualified service technicians is on the rise

II. How to overcome the growing skills gap and recruit workers

III. Strategies for targeting skilled workers

IV. Step-by-Step system for hiring the best candidates

V. Keeping qualified workers on your team


Let’s state the obvious…service organizations depend on qualified field technicians.


Let’s state the obvious…service organizations depend on qualified field technicians.

But they’re getting harder and harder to find.


And with fewer young people entering technical fields, demands in the service

industry have sky-rocketed…

Leaving thousands of vacant positions and field service organizations unsure of

where the next wave of skilled technical workers will come.

http://msidata.hs-sites.com/service-technician-careers-guide?__hssc=39109500.5.1427395189835&__hstc=39109500.dc9355041992afdd870766330a7bb451.1408380269903.1427378675120.1427395189835.322&hsCtaTracking=6aa29783-c2ac-4d82-9bd8-84539662eb59%7C39bf4a6f-3ef9-4331-8496-f857d10c8ddd


In fact, according to the Association of General Contractors (AGC) of America’s 2014 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook, two-thirds of construction firms report they are having trouble

finding qualified workers to fill positions.

http://www.agcmass.org/news-and-events/news/2014-construction-hiring-and-business-outlook-report/

http://www.agcmass.org/news-and-events/news/2014-construction-hiring-and-business-outlook-report/


So what makes qualified technicians so hard to find?


So what makes qualified technicians so hard to find?

Good question!


All field service technicians, regardless of industry, must be able to work independently with little supervision and manage multiple service calls.


And strong technicians must also have high-level technical skills which they can use to diagnose and solve complex problems in their

industries.

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Dave Edwards from Mustang CAT

admits, “From an HR standpoint, our biggest

need is for qualified technicians. This trend has been going on for several

years.”

http://www.msidata.com/service-technician-careers-interview-with-mustang-cat

http://www.msidata.com/service-technician-careers-interview-with-mustang-cat


The fact remains that service organizations are scrambling to attract young, skilled workers to prepare for the ongoing gap in

qualified workers.

And for good reason…


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According to Mustang CAT, “CAT dealerships around the world will need to hire an additional 45,000 Service Technicians in the

next 5 years to meet customer demands.”

I. Demand for Skilled Technicians on the Rise

http://www.msidata.com/service-technician-careers-part-1

http://www.msidata.com/service-technician-careers-part-1


Furthermore, The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts faster than average job outlook for general field service technicians.

Technicians with formal training and advanced skills will have greater opportunities, as will those who work in computer-related or niche industries, such as heavy equipment repair.



Seems like finding the needle in the haystack? Not if you go about it the right way…



II. How to Overcome the

Growing Skills Gap and Recruit Workers


While it’s true that finding qualified workers can come with challenges, many industry leaders are getting a leg up by

investing in the next generation of workers

II. How to Overcome the Growing Skills Gap and Recruit Workers


Companies in need of skilled technicians are supporting training and

certification programs like the CAT dealer prep program, ThinkBIG, to train

skilled workers and fuel the future of field service.


http://www.caterpillar.com/en/careers/career-areas/dealer-technician/education/thinkbig-technicianeducation.html


These programs not only increase the talent pool, but make the service technician career track an appealing one for younger

workers



Not convinced? Take it on the word of ThinkBIG Alum, Mason Sydow:


“I get a lot of satisfaction from dealing with the customers. They get to know you and you get to learn a lot of different industries. It’s gratifying to see something go from start to finish.”



By recognizing the shifting recruitment

culture.

So how can companies identify and attract

those skilled candidates to fill the growing number of

technician vacancies?


Changing your recruitment strategy could even result in 75% more candidates to consider and obtaining those candidates

50% faster than by using traditional recruitment methods.


http://www.msidata.com/improve-technician-recruitment-efforts

http://www.msidata.com/improve-technician-recruitment-efforts



The new skilled technician workforce knows they have valuable skills and won’t be swayed by just anything. Positioning yourself in the right

light is now more important than ever.


III. Strategies for Targeting Skilled Workers


1. Market your company and hype up your industry



Get your name in front of employees and project a brand image that potential employees want to be part of.


For example, market yourself as a cutting edge service company that uses the latest technology and strategies to draw more motivated

workers who want to work for a leading company.


2. Make it easy to navigate your website and find career information



One of the biggest mistakes companies make—hiding career information on a difficult to navigate website—is also one of the easiest

to fix.


Make your job ads prominent on the front page of your website and the company homepage simple and easy to navigate.

4APPLY HERE!


3. Incorporate social efforts into your recruitment strategy



Build a social presence to help you connect with a younger audience and create a consistent brand across channels that communicates what

it would be like to work at your company.


And have current employees share job openings with family and friends so you have personal, direct messages vouching for your company.

http://www.msidata.com/social-media-for-field-service

http://www.msidata.com/social-media-for-field-service



4. Go Mobile


More and more people are using their smart phones and mobile devices to do everything, and especially young technical workers.


If you want to meet new candidates at their level, make sure your job ads are optimized and available through mobile.


The companies that are successful in the new recruitment landscape are willing to change to appeal to the modern job seeker.



And once you pique candidate interest?



And once you pique candidate interest?


Seal the deal!


IV. Step-by-Step System for Hiring the Best Candidates

Courtesy of BirdDog


Determine your hiring budget: Figure out how much you have to pursue various recruitment tactics and stick to the budget.

IV. Hiring the Best Candidates

Series1


Set a timeline: Know when you want new employees to start and how aggressively you should be recruiting.



Outline the skills and traits you want in an employee: Know what you’re looking for when you start recruiting so you can

target the right candidates.



Find strong candidates through area technical schools and prep programs: Stop by area technical schools, which are breeding grounds

for the next generation of field service workers



Stand out in the interview: Because the demand for service technicians is so high, you need to impress them as much as they need to impress you. Stand out by emphasizing something strong about your company

like a fun atmosphere or top of the line field service software.



Make a strong offer: Offer the best candidates a strong salary with plenty of benefits; in other words: make them an offer they can’t refuse.



With these steps and strategies you’ll certainly find yourself with an influx of the best and brightest in your ranks.



With these steps and strategies you’ll certainly find yourself with an influx of the best and brightest in your ranks.

But it’s important to realize that you need to uphold your end by ensuring a fulfilling career for your technicians.



V. Keeping Qualified Workers on Your Team


Providing continuous training for your technicians will help them master various repairs, solidify their understanding of the operation and ensure they have the skillset needed to fulfill SLAs.


To teach new topics quickly, host a newsletter, weekly bulletin, or company blog that details trending product issues and provides instructions/tools needed to address those issues.


Your customers will appreciate the consistency and professionalism, because technicians who are able to relate to, converse with, and explain complex technical problems become invaluable resources.



Making your technicians’ jobs easier and work-lives happier will also aid in retention and customer satisfaction as well.

Investing in a service management application and mobile solution allows your techs to work better and faster.


http://www.msidata.com/service-pro-software



Retaining technicians and preparing them with the right training and tools will help them know they’re appreciated, and they’ll repay you

with their hard work and loyalty.


Lets face it…


Lets face it…

With the demand for service technicians so high, it’s unrealistic to expect quality workers to just show up

on your door step.


But with the tools to attract and retain skilled workers in your arsenal, your service organization will be well on its way to becoming an

industry leader for years to come.


But with the tools to attract and retain skilled workers in your arsenal, your service organization will be well on its way to becoming an

industry leader for years to come.

Taking the steps laid out in this presentation is the best way to make sure your service department is ready with technicians to keep up with

the demand!


Finding the keys to building a strong workforce doesn’t stop here, take the next step and learn more:

Service Technician Careers: A Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Retaining Top Field Workers

http://msidata.hs-sites.com/service-technician-careers-guide?__hssc=39109500.3.1427316080682&__hstc=39109500.dc9355041992afdd870766330a7bb451.1408380269903.1427310433685.1427316080682.319&hsCtaTracking=6aa29783-c2ac-4d82-9bd8-84539662eb59%7C39bf4a6f-3ef9-4331-8496-f857d10c8ddd